Como se combate o populismo? "Com eleições", responde Fukuyama

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8:29am 03/04/05 LABOR SEES SLIGHT UPWARD REVISION TO JAN, DEC PAYROLLS
8:29am 03/04/05 U.S, FEB AVERAGE WORKWEEK UNCHANGED AT 33.7 HOURS
8:29am 03/04/05 U.S. FEB. AVERAGE HOURLY EARNINGS UNCHANGED AT $15.90
8:29am 03/04/05 U.S. FEB PAYROLL GAIN LARGEST SINCE OCT.
8:29am 03/04/05 U.S. FEB. FACTORY JOBS UP 20,000 AS AUTO WORKERS RETURN
8:29am 03/04/05 U.S. FEB UNEMPLOYMENT RATE 5.4% VS 5.2% IN JAN.
8:29am 03/04/05 U.S. FEB NONFARM PAYROLLS UP 262,000 VS 221K EXPECTED

ECONOMIC REPORT: U.S. payrolls rise 262,000 in February
By Greg Robb, MarketWatch
Last Update: 8:30 AM ET March 4, 2005

WASHINGTON (MarketWatch) - The labor market didn't disappoint in February, as 262,000 new jobs were added to the economy, the Labor Department reported Friday.

This is the largest monthly increase in payrolls since October.

This increase was at the top end of forecasts. Economists surveyed by MarketWatch have an average forecast of 221,000 new jobs, with a range of 150,000 to 300,000.

There were cross currents in the report.

The separate household survey was weak, with the unemployment rate rising to 5.4 percent in February from 5.2 percent in January.

The increase surprised economists, who were expecting the jobless rate to remain steady at 5.2 percent.

Unemployment rose by 251,000 in February to 7.99 million and the employment ranks declined by 97,000, the department said.

Average hourly earnings were unchanged at $15.90 in February. Over the past year, earnings grew by 2.5 percent.

The average workweek was steady at 33.7 hours.

But the payroll survey showed job gains occurred across a range of industries in February. There was also a slight upward revision to job gains in the past two months.

Payrolls have increased an average of 183,000 in the past three months.

Manufacturing industries added 20,000 new jobs in February, with much of the gain coming from auto workers returning from temporary layoffs, the government said.

Construction industries added 30,000 jobs.

Service producing jobs grew by 207,000, with the bulk of the new jobs coming in professional and business services.

The report should give more confidence to Federal Reserve officials that the economy is on a self-sustaining expansion. Fed officials have been sounding more confident about the economy in recent weeks.

The Federal Open Market Committee meets again on monetary policy on March 22. Economists expect measured rate hikes to continue.